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[Cat--Smasher]

Gross attacks the 'flawed' and 'White-washed' UFC Hall of Fame

If you believe White when he says Ortiz wasn't a company guy -- disputable considering how much money he made for Zuffa -- let me ask you this: So what? Should a fighter have to be a company guy to earn what he deserves? Should White need to be "totally cool" and have "no beef with Tito whatsoever" for Ortiz to be HOF eligible?

These are reasons I choose not to regard the UFC Hall of Fame as being the same thing as hallowed grounds associated with other sports. Eventually, I hope, MMA media will come together and do it properly, though that surely won't prevent the UFC from picking and choosing who it recognizes among the best ever to compete in the Octagon. Nor should it. But I'll say this: The White-washing of the UFC "hall" is unseemly.

After all, the light heavyweight division's first champion, Frank Shamrock, can't get a sniff of it and he beat Ortiz in one of the organization's great contests, and went 5-0 in UFC competition, each bout a title fight.

Why? Because he fell out of favor with president White.

Likewise, Pat Miletich -- the organization's first welterweight champion who defended the belt multiple times and went on to mentor and train many of the Octagon's finest, including too-exclusive club member Matt Hughes.

There's no sane explanation why Ortiz should receive accolades the week leading up to his retirement bout while Shamrock and Miletich (and fighters past, present and future who dare look out for themselves, even if it means upsetting the powers that be) get frozen out. Ortiz deserves his time in the spotlight as much as they do.

Gross attacks the 'flawed' and 'White-washed' UFC Hall of Fame - Mixed Martial Arts News

[Qball1974]

True story.

[Cat--Smasher]

You know Dana is going to lose his shit over Gross saying this.

[Godeaux]

Who gives a s#/t???????? Truth is the truth!!!

[GangGreenWarrior]

The idea that the HoF of other sports is a "hallowed ground" is complete crap. The voting in other sports is just as political as the UFC's HoF. Every sport has a bunch of guys who get overlooked either because they aren't popular with the writers or do to some ancient issue. Take a look at baseball's HoF situation if you want to see how hallowed they are. If the league blackballs a player, the voters will obey as most are sport writers who depend on their leagues for their jobs. Being in or out of the HoF doesn't change the stats of a guys career. Pete Rose not being in the HoF is way more flawed that Shamrock not.

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Funny thing is, while the UFC HOF is similar to the WWE's HOF in that, it's really who is on good terms with brass, who the brass has hard-ons for and isn't voted on by journalists and former players etc like other sports, I honestly think Dana could make all this BS go away by simply inducting Shamrock and maybe Miletich.

One of the reasons this is so glaring is because for such a young sport, the HOF's roster probably only has a select number of true blue candidates and given Frank's success, makes it look all the more hinky since he's not in it.

[Rise]

Originally Posted by GangGreenWarrior

Pete Rose not being in the HoF is way more flawed that Shamrock not.

Rose broke a cardinal rule that no matter how you look at it taints his image and accolades. I don't think he's ever been completely forthright about it either. I'd be ok with him being acknowledged for his records but not in there as a player.

As far as Frank being in there is concerned wish he had of been able to stay in the UFC a little longer but the money issues came up and ruined that. Had he got a few more fights in there would be no way to deny him a spot.

[KevoOnTheRadio]

Originally Posted by GangGreenWarrior

The idea that the HoF of other sports is a "hallowed ground" is complete crap. The voting in other sports is just as political as the UFC's HoF. Every sport has a bunch of guys who get overlooked either because they aren't popular with the writers or do to some ancient issue. Take a look at baseball's HoF situation if you want to see how hallowed they are. If the league blackballs a player, the voters will obey as most are sport writers who depend on their leagues for their jobs. Being in or out of the HoF doesn't change the stats of a guys career. Pete Rose not being in the HoF is way more flawed that Shamrock not.

There is a big difference between Pete Rose not being in HOF and Frank Shamrock being excluded from the UFC HOF. But I'd expect nothing else from a Jets fan.

The UFC HOF means so little in my eyes. FD really nailed it on the head when he compared it to the WWE HOF.

[rivethead]

Gross is right. Zuffa's HoF isn't an accurate depiction of skill, or greatness, or contributions. It's a vanity puff job for who dana likes the most at any given time.

Originally Posted by GangGreenWarrior

Pete Rose not being in the HoF is way more flawed that Shamrock not.

Please. You can't even compare the two. Regardless of what he's morphed into, Shamrock made ground-breaking contributions to the entire sport in terms of being a well-rounded fighter, he set the model for all elite fighters to follow, breaking away from a single-discipline model and into establishing oneself as a threat in all areas.

Rose was talented, but he didn't revolutionize anything.

And Frank didn't wipe his ass with the entire concept of respect for the industry as Rose did.

To take your analogy a step further, if Selig were half as capricious, emotional and reactionary as dana, he would have been ousted years ago. It's not him keeping Rose out, it's hundreds of knowledgeable individuals in various places within the industry who find Rose's actions unforgivable.

Originally Posted by Rise

As far as Frank being in there is concerned wish he had of been able to stay in the UFC a little longer but the money issues came up and ruined that. Had he got a few more fights in there would be no way to deny him a spot.

I think he's done enough to warrant it based on his early contributions. I'm not a fan of Frank, but he was OG.

rh

[Supe]

Originally Posted by rivethead

Please. You can't even compare the two. Regardless of what he's morphed into, Shamrock made ground-breaking contributions to the entire sport in terms of being a well-rounded fighter, he set the model for all elite fighters to follow, breaking away from a single-discipline model and into establishing oneself as a threat in all areas.

Rose was talented, but he didn't revolutionize anything.

And Frank didn't wipe his ass with the entire concept of respect for the industry as Rose did.


rh

LOL comparing Frank Shamrock to the all time leader in hits, games and at bats in the 100+ year old sport of baseball is laughable RH. Can i ask why you find what he did so reprehensible and worthy of a life time ban? He's never been accused of throwing games or even betting against his team. So what did betting ON his team while playing and managing do...make him try harder? Its a fuckin joke.